EBS_freak

I'd love to see some adverts from some of the big amp companies showing complete nobodies. I think it would be a great marketing move. "This is Dave, he's just like you. Down the dog and duck. He doesn't play Wembley. He's playing through a sensible, appropriate setup - and sounds great because of it." - And Dave didn't go with whoever would give him some gear for free or a big discount.

The feel is an interesting point. Is there actually much air movement that you can feel when you are standing next to a bass rig? I have read time and time again how people talk about "trouser flapping" - go up to your rig and see where you have to stand and how loud you have to play to get so much as a twitch. The feel, for many I guess, is what the front of house is doing - or the feel of your ears getting hit with high SPL. Nothing beats going home with tinnitus and hearing damage eh? PS check out a Woojer or Backbeat for body worn haptic feedback.

I'd taken a step back but I'll bite. Here's some view points to consider. Plenty of people go to a gig, or festivals to "see" bands, yet still have obstructed view of the stage due to people's heads... or in some cases, end up watching the show via big screens alongside the stage. Would make for a pretty poor experience if the sound was pants too. For a lot of artists, it's all about seeing the spectacle of the show but it's a given that the sound has to be good also. You may recall the media couldn't wait to rip into the Spice Girls when there were complaints about the audio. Seeing the show was not enough. And you could argue that the audience were a home crowd and not exactly your audiophile audience. Plenty of people have been to gigs where the sound as been horrible... and it's always the sound mans fault for doing a stinky poo house mix. In reality, the sound guy is an important member of the band - even if they aren't on stage. They can make or break your sound. If somebody wants to come on stage and run an amp so loud to get "their sound" and feel good, so be it. After all, they are the talent. However, ultimately - and this is the science here, you are going to get bleed into other microphones and the mix will suffer. How much depends on how much of those little nuances that impact the mix sum. So yeah, there's so much you can get from baffles, correct mic choice and placement, monitor wedge volume etc... I get that you won't get a CD mix in a gig situation - but as an audience member you do want to be able to hear things clearly - and you don't want to have that lone guitar cab overpowering the front of house speakers. Or perhaps you do. You'd hope that an artist would want to sound the best that they could out front, even if it means compromising what you want on stage - after all, it's the audience that are paying your keep. In reality, it's about the right rig for the right gig. If you are playing a small gig, you have to compromise with the backline you are using to work with the sound guy to make you sound the best out front. If people don't want to sound the best out front, why are they even bothering? It's a certain arrogance of artists that has always been entertained for so long.

Interesting you focused on “seeing” as opposed to hearing.

Thats irrespective of IEMS though - if your L and R are too far apart, there's gonna be a dead spot in the middle in front of the band. Yeah - IEMs, there's a fair bit to work out before hand. Micing stuff up, proper fitment - and adequate drivers and the like.

Yeah, f**k the audience's hearing. F**k working with the sound guy so the band can actually sound decent upfront. F**k everybody but the musician. Actually, that pretty much sums up the self-centredness of pretty every musician I know.

Thats because people haven't put out a centre speaker. Funnily enough a centre fill speaker is always helpful for projecting vocals - same problem occurs. Those dancing in the void complain they can't hear the lead vocals.

That's probably more of an indication to the poor quality of the IEM unit that they were using sound guy.

But what happens if you as a band, are bringing a PA to the venue? And even if you don't... with modellers, a split box and your own digital mixer, there's nothing stopping you from bringing your monitoring solution. The sound guys life is super easy - they just take an out to feed into their desk.

Naturally - I'm talking about buzz in the wider areas. There's always going to be talk in the native groups.

I was beginning to think that this was vapour ware given how much social media isn’t talking about it anymore.

So... essentially a nobody?

Absolutely - I'd be making use of some 2.5 (mains) cable internally. Nothing like a bit of reassuring thick cable.

Riffling through my almost forgotten memories, the only thing I can seem to remember was an advert for Marshall bass rigs fronted by John Currie (also seem to recall him holding a Sei bass in the ad). Didn't know who he was at the time. Still don't know who he is. Googled him. Still non the wiser although he seems to endorse East preamps. So yeah.

For those interested - Speakon options - https://www.terralec.co.uk/speaker_leads_/speakon_splitter_cable/33972_p.html Or something like this would give you the option to link 3 cabs (could easily find a 2er or make one yourself if concerned about size) - Yes, I know it's all extra stuff to carry about... and nobody likes non standard cables etc (case for the first link) EDIT: Heres a 2er - ... but you wouldn't pay those kinda prices (of this one above at least). Just make your own.

Have Marshall ever really nailed the bass market though? Ive never really associated Marshall with bass - the would have to come up with something pretty cool I think to drive people away from the usual offerings.

You're probably quite right -when the Reidmar was in planning I said to the the guys at EBS 32.5cm wide is not really on small side. Im guessing Blackstar had some design decisions to make about minimising the number of the PCBS in there (no multi-tiering) - there's quite a few pots in there to find space for (and leave space for you to be able to turn the buttons). Yeah, not sure how much of a niggle it is - I guess it's down to what cabs you want to use it for. But as you say, it's good to see another amp in the mix.

Small form factor only allows for one speakon - simple! Mind you, as stated, given Blackstars cabs have thrus (they aren't really thrus are they, they are just a parallel split) and they should be pushing the cabs as a companion to the amp, it's not really an issue. It's not really a deal breaker either - if you were desperate to use other cabs without thrus, it's not difficult to knock up a cable or a little box to plug cables into it. The reality is, if you are buying an amp physically this small and light anyway, you are probably only interested in having a single cab to run with it anyway... probably a 212... and that's the real point at which Blackstar have fallen down with this suite of products - a missing 2x12 cab, or a single 12 that you can daisy chain with another.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/303094485053

Who is going to want to pick one up to find out how much it weighs?

Ah, so that’s where the designer from Fretking went.

Jeez, there's a slight difference between praying on somebody's emotions and throwing a projectile at them. Dayum. You're a savage.

I think we never made it... because our music was just.... stinky poo.

Or just record a gig and distribute the video?

Yeah, sorry about that. I've got to get out of the habit. There was a certain bass player of a certain up and coming artist that I was well into about 10 years ago (so much I used to go to as many gigs of theirs as I could). Every single gig, I would get peed off with the bass player looking so glum and miserable. I'd yell it out, "Cheer up <insert name>" Years later, he comes clean on a facebook post saying that they were the worst years of his life, he was going through a mentally abusive relationship, he was having a battle with alcoholism and was a manic depressive on the verge of suicide. Just goes to show... I'm not proud. I just thought he had resting b1tch face.